Learning to Fly
Series Metadata
Listing Series
-
Tags
Summary
Soon, Iroh would need to kindle the strength of his inner flame. He allowed despair to dampen it much too far. Soon, but not yet. His chest ached, was too tight. There was no room for strong flames, for a strong will and a determination to guide his nephew through this ordeal. No, for now he did not fight the flickering in his soul as it rose and fell with the soft breaths of the boy in his arms.
Iroh waits at Zuko's bedside and fears he will lose another son.
Zuko dreams of dragons, flying, and fire.
Destiny has plans.
Series
- Part 1 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Zuko was afraid. He was afraid of summoning his flames. He was afraid of being lost in darkness. Pathetic. He was pathetic and would die here in his inability to do anything. Father was right. Zuko was a coward.
Zuko's search for the Avatar begins in the Western Air Temple. All he uncovers are doubts and a legacy.
Series
- Part 2 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Once, nobility existed to protect the common folk. After a hundred years of warfare, nobility only existed to use those beneath them to increase their power. Nobles were selfish and were incapable of seeing past their own egos. There were very few exceptions to the rule. General Iroh seemed to have been cut from a different cloth from the rest of his family, or had learned the hard way how to be a decent human being. Prince Zuko was confusing, to say the least.
Recovery is a process that one cannot go through alone. It is not a weakness to accept help from others; accepting help is the only way to truly heal.
As Zuko learns how to adjust to life at sea, his crew learns to care for their banished prince.
Series
- Part 3 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
A few paces away, poised to charge and hold him at sword-point, Zuko froze as the man shifted. He moved a hand behind him, leaned on it as he twisted around to look directly at Zuko with a bright smile.
"That was a dangerous climb, young one. I would have waited for you to take the less perilous path."
In the Eastern Air Temple, Zuko continues his search for the Avatar.
Series
- Part 4 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Zhao did not let them pass. He moved to block Prince Zuko with a discomforting glint in his eyes as he stared down at the small boy. “Oh, but I believe you’ll want to hear why I sought you out, Prince Zuko. I have information on a possible Avatar sighting, unless where you’re headed is of more importance.”
Prince Zuko took a step back from the towering man and squinted up at him. “If you have legitimate information, then nothing is of higher importance.”
The broad grin Zhao gave the prince spelled nothing but trouble.
Zuko searches for leads on the Avatar outside the Air Temples. He learns more about the world, himself, and efficient methods of gathering information.
Series
- Part 5 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
The towering owl spirit craned its neck until its face was level with Zuko's. It tilted its head at an unerring angle as it spoke.
"However, what you have hidden in your belongings may be sufficient payment for your entry."
Zuko hugged his bag to his chest and fought back his rising panic. He wouldn't give up his egg for anything. But... what if this was his only chance at finding a solid lead for the Avatar?
Zuko's quest brings him to the Si Wong desert. He'll discover plenty about the Avatar, but not the one he's searching for.
Series
- Part 6 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Akari throws her arms around Yangchen and pulls her into their first of many kisses. The world doesn’t stop. There are no fireworks or life-changing realizations. It’s a simple press of lips together that feels right. Akari is so happy.
“You’re a firebending master!”
“I love you.”
Winter ATLA Femslash Week focusing on Avatar Yangchen and Princess Akari, based on Yangchen's memoirs in Sands of Time
Series
- Part 7 of Learning to Fly
- Part 2 of LTF Extras
-
Tags
Summary
Whatever game the Fire Lord was playing by sending his banished son out on a fool’s quest with a crew designed to fail had backfired. Prince Zuko was a force to be reckoned with. One day, the Fire Lord would realize his mistake in underestimating his son.
Change doesn't exist in a vacuum. As one grows and their views of the world expand, those around them are not left unaffected.
Zuko returns from Wan Shi Tong's library a changed boy with a shattered worldview. Now his crew begins to face their own changes.
Series
- Part 8 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
The locals who lived at the boundary of a spacious, coastal mangrove forest and the dense, towering groves of the swamp told Iroh and Zuko about the warning signs of those Swamp Touched. They cautioned against leaving the boat and touching the trees or swamp water, especially if one was already enthralled.
There was no way Iroh was going to allow his nephew, who was already at the whims of this spiritual place, to put himself further in the hands of the unknown.
“Best to be cautious and stay on the boat, Nephew.”
Zuko's quest brings him to the Foggy Swamp. He's not expecting to find the Avatar, but is hopeful the rumored spiritual activity in the swamp will help his search.
Series
- Part 9 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
"You see, Commander Genkei is quite impressed by the vast improvement seen amongst this crew under Prince Zuko's leadership. It a waste to have such competent soldiers playing babysitter when they could be put to a much better use."
A chill ran down Hifumi's spine as her chest constricted. No, surely they couldn't do this. Her hand shot out to snatch the scroll from Zhao before she could think better of it. The words written in the trained, uniform script of army scribes said they would do this. Several bright red seals at the bottom of the scroll said they could.
in irons (nautical) - The "trapped" condition a sailing ship finds itself in when the bow of the ship is headed into the wind and the ship has stalled and is unable to maneuver.
Series
- Part 10 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Sozin began a legacy of destruction and disrespect, starting with his dragon hunts. Iroh may have spared the last of the dragons, but he had not learned his lesson then. The Dragon of the West would have seen the world burn.
Crown Prince, Dragon of the West, a general, a father, a member of the White Lotus—Iroh goes through several titles and identities to find who he is.
Series
- Part 11 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Zuko always forgot how much he enjoyed music until he took the time to listen to it. It was so easy to get lost in the rise and fall of a melody, to let his pulse follow the pattern of a beat.
Zuko is finally headed to the North Pole, and Omashu is the first step where Iroh meets with an old friend. As Zuko wanders the streets of Omashu, alone with his thoughts, he unwillingly makes some new friends of his own.
Series
- Part 12 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Across the courtyard in the dim light of the moon, Zuko caught Yue’s mournful gaze. Did she believe the narwolves were still alive? Or had she given up hope like Sarnai had with the flying jerboa?
His heart thudded against the egg strapped to his chest.
Yue deserved to know there was hope.
Zuko's arrived at the North Pole and thinks he'll finally find a solid lead on the Avatar. What else would be worth the trip?
Series
- Part 13 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Zuko was tentatively hopeful about this excursion. There were rumors of people living in this temple and flying. He dared not hope the Avatar was amongst them. But, were there surviving airbenders?
With a new, hard-earned appreciation for Air Nomad history courtesy of Yue, Zuko heads to the Northern Air Temple to see what he can learn.
Series
- Part 14 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Zuko should know better than to start to think of the Sazanami as home again, but that was what had happened, wasn’t it? What began as busy days full of duties and distractions became busy days full of laughter and friendship.
As Zuko plans his new approach to finding the Avatar, he gets to know his crew.
Series
- Part 15 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
“The roots of dissent are hardy and strong, and have served me well. But for all that flowers spread far, even the most poisonous cannot end this war.” They bowed deeply. “I’m ready to become more than a flower waiting for hope, Prince Lu Ten.”
Furious drumming filled Lu Ten’s ears. It wasn’t his pulse, no it was a call to action, the music of change. The roar of a dragon.
“Let’s take to the sky, then.”
Iroh remembers his little soldier boy. Zuko has hazy memories of a loving cousin. Neither knew who Lu Ten truly was, but his memory lives on beyond them.
Series
- Part 16 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Banished and burned at thirteen, Zuko had every reason to ignore signs that the world wasn’t right. Instead, he found his ancestor’s legacy in the home of his enemy and began to question. He befriended colony-born soldiers; lived, learned, and flourished with people of the Si Wong, Foggy Swamp, and Northern Water Tribe; forced himself to accept the truth of the war, alone in a spirit library, and began to plot how to bring freedom back.
Zuko didn’t just want to end the war. He wanted to upend the order of the world.
The Air Nomads were gone, Sozin had made sure of that. But they hadn't been the only ones to bend air. A world where airbenders could return was a world where dual-bending existed.
Zuko's found allies in his goal to bring airbending back. Now he just has to convince the world to accept dual-benders, maybe starting with his crew.
Series
- Part 17 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
“The spirits have spoken. They cannot answer your simple question, for they have a greater message for you to hear.” It had been some time since Wu spoke these words. Whether the prophecy could finally be fulfilled by this boy, she could not say, but it was clear the spirits wanted him to hear it. They would not allow him to hear of anything else. “When the heir of dragons is reborn, the tides of war will turn.”
He jolted in surprise, then leaned forward with an eager grin. The fire danced in the reflection of his eyes. “Really? The spirits said that? Exactly that?”
“Indeed, they did. Does it hold meaning to you?”
“I think so.”
The prophecy’s hum finally went quiet.
It's been two years since Zuko was banished and he is unrecognizable from the lonely boy who confidently declared his intent to bring the Avatar home in chains. His new goal of ushering in a new age of airbending should be impossible, but the friendships and connections he has made in his travels very well might make it possible.
Series
- Part 18 of Learning to Fly
-
Tags
Summary
Rubbing his hands over his face, Aang fell against Appa to take comfort in his fluff. “And it’s been a hundred years? That’s- I can’t believe- Wait, then why have you been looking for me, uh, for the Avatar?”
This was a pivotal moment and it needed to be handled with finesse, care, and the truth if there was any hope of Aang agreeing to work with him. Yes, Zuko could do this.
Aang wakes up from the ice and the story starts as we all know it. But instead of a Fire Nation cruiser crashing into Katara and Sokka's village, a small sailing boat lands on their shore. How will Hui the Yangchen Scholar change the coming events?
Series
- Part 19 of Learning to Fly